Conservation of Plants and Animals

Introduction

· The varieties of plants and animals that exists on earth, are essential for the wellbeing and survival of mankind.

· Clearing of forests and using that land for other purposes is known as deforestation.

· Some major consequences of deforestation are forest fires and frequent droughts.

· Deforestation increases the temperature and pollution level on the earth.

· Deforestation increases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

· Deforestation causes soil erosion; removal of the top layer of the soil exposes the lower, hard and rocky layers; likewise, the fertile land gets converted into deserts and known as desertification.

· Deforestation also decreases the water holding capacity of the soil.

· Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the variety of organisms that exist on the earth, their interrelationships as well as their relationship with the environment.

Biosphere Reserves

· To protect and conserve the biodiversity, the government set up rules, methods, and policies and created the protected areas such as wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves, etc.

· Plantation, cultivation, grazing, cutting trees, hunting, and poaching are strictly prohibited there.

· The protected area where animals are protected from all sorts of human interference or disturbance (which can harm) to them and their habitat is known as Sanctuary.

· The protected area reserved for wild life where they can freely live, use the habitats, and natural resources is known as National Park.

· The large protected area for the conservation of wild-life, plant and animal resources, and traditional life of the tribals living in the area is known as Biosphere Reserve.

· A biosphere reserve assists to maintain the biodiversity and culture of the respective region.

· A biosphere reserve may also have some other protected areas within it. E.g. The Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve has one national park namely Satpura and two wildlife sanctuaries namely Bori and Pachmarhi.

· Endemic species are the species of plants and animals, which are found exclusively in a particular region.

· Endemic species are not naturally found anywhere else other than the place where it is found. It means, a specific type of plant or animal may be endemic to a zone, a state or a country. E.g. Bison, Indian giant squirrel and Wild Mango are endemic fauna of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (see the images given below0.

· The animals whose numbers are falling to a level that they might face extinction are categorized as the endangered animals.

· The book that keeps the record of all the endangered species is known as Red Data Book.